Here’s November's Newsletter.  Don’t forget, for more regular, bite-sized information, you can follow us on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/BerkoSquashRbll We’ve got 49 avid followers so far - we post a tweet most days!

Team matches

Our 5 teams are now underway with the new season:  3 teams in the Herts league (Div 1/2/3), 1 team in the Bucks league (Div 3), and 1 team in the Middlesex League (Vintage [over 55] Division).  The 1st team and the Bucks team are both currently 3 from 3 and topping the charts!  And the other teams are all holding their own.

The next home match for our 1st team is this Thursday 14th October, starting at 7.45pm against Nuffield St Albans.  Come on down and see the team resplendent in their new shirts! (We hope that’s the case - the printing company had 170 shirts to do for us in the end, and they are trying to get them done in time for this match night.). Also, on the big screen we’ll have England v Montenegro in the Euro Champs Qualifying. Watch the squash or watch the football?  We don’t mind, just be there!

Don’t forget that you can now make a date for your diary of all the 1st team home fixture dates - see the display board positioned outside court 2.

Update on club shirt orders

As mentioned above, we ordered 170 shirts from Dunlop and, with shorts and warm-up tops as well, 200 items in total.

John will give his bank details to everyone who has placed an order, and confirm everyone’s bill, as soon as the shirts are back from the printers.

BEST Academy

Most of us love playing the game at our own level but don’t pay too much attention to what is happening at national or international level.

But we want to briefly draw your attention to some of the amazing results being achieved by Adam’s Berkhamsted Elite Squash Training (BEST) Academy.  

In the November world rankings, Adrian Waller has entered the world top 20 for the first time, at number 17, and in doing so has become England number 1; a fantastic career achievement.  Rui Soares has climbed to world number 77, continuing the rising trajectory he’s been on for the past 12 months or so.  And our very own Grace Gear has now risen about 30 places since turning professional after finishing University last Summer.  Go Grace!

In the British Junior Closed championships that have just finished, Alice Green was runner-up in the Under 19s, and her brother, Ollie Green, was 3rd in the Under 17s.

All of these players, and many more, can be seen being put through their paces by Adam on most Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings (well, not Ollie unless it is school holidays).

Encouraging more women to play squash and/or squash57

It is great to see that we now have 6 ladies playing in the Squash57 boxes.  But we would love it to be more.  And we really ought to have more than 4 ladies playing in the Squash boxes.

Ladies, what would you like from your squash and squash57 club?  What would encourage and help (a) more of you (b) to start playing (c) to play more often?  We asked these questions in last month’s Newsletter, but we received no replies.  We will listen to all suggestions.  What can we do to help you?  If you are one of our women members or you are the better half of one of our bloke members and could be tempted into giving our club a go, please let us know what you think. Speak to, or email, either Adam, Grace or John:

adam@best-academy.co.uk

gracegearsquash@outlook.com

john.gs@btinternet.com

And, for any ladies of any standard who may be interested in helping to encourage more ladies to try the sport, England are offering to provide a fully-funded Level 1 coaching qualification for anyone who applies by 22nd November.  Adam can provide details.

Better bitter!

Last month we mentioned the brilliant deeds of the Social Committee and the arrival of Sky Sports on our big screen.

The team continue to do great work and most of you will know by now that we have changed our brewery supplier and the new supplier (Marstons) has not only contributed to the Sky subscription but has also paid for an overhaul of our beer cellar.

Play on our fabulous glassback courts, slouch (after having showered) in front of a Champions League match, and replenish lost nutrients with our new, fresher thirst-quenching bitters and lagers!

Volunteers required - British Heart Foundation

And on a final note, a call to arms from one of our venerable members, Martin Fifield.

Since having been one of the (thankfully) few people to require active service of our defibrillator machine, Martin has supported the British Heart Foundation in whatever way he can.

On Friday 7th February and Saturday 8th February 2020, the BHF are holding their biggest ever fundraising collection.  Locally it will be at Tesco’s in Jarman Park, and Martin would be really grateful to anyone who is prepared to give up a little bit of their time on one of those two days to help with the collection.

For further details, please speak to Martin at the club or contact him on either 07795 187349 or martinfifield@icloud.com

That’s all for now.

Squash & Squash57 Committee
(John Shaw, Mark Shattock, Adam Fuller, Gill Trimmer, Rob Harbron)